The Perry Police Department returned to full strength this week with the hiring of Taylor Rittman, 22, who began his training Monday at the Des Moines Police Department Academy.
Rittman’s academy training will continue through the end of July, according to Perry Police Chief Eric Vaughn, and will be followed by two to three months of field training. The city of Perry is paying for Rittman’s training at the academy in exchange for his three-year commitment to the Perry Police Department.
“We’re just finishing up some paperwork and testing for some physical requirements,” Vaughn said Friday. Vision and hearing tests were performed last week, he said, and Rittman’s formal training began this week.
Rittman graduated from Ankeny High School in 2012 and earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Grand View University last December, graduating a semester early.
“Perry’s a great town,” Rittman said, “and I can’t wait to get started.” His four years of high school Spanish classes could be an asset for Perry law enforcement.
Rittman fills a vacancy in the Perry Police Department following the recent resignation of Officer Alex Curtis.
“Every time we lose somebody, we’re kind of behind the ball for a while,” Vaughn said. “This fills our roster, so to speak. He’ll have to go the academy and then come back and do field training, so before he’s on his own, we’re probably looking another six months down the road.”
Perry’s getting a quality young man.